Elevator.



'H. A. HUMPHREY.

v ELEVATOR. APPLICATION FILED D110. 26, 1998.

Patented July 5, 1910.

. 4 ATTORNEY.

H. A. HUMPHRBY.

. ELEVATOR.

' APPLIOLTIDI FILED DEC. 28, 1908.

Patented July 5; 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. HENRY .A. HUMPHREY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SAFETY ELEVATOR LOCK AND SIGNAL COMPANY; A

' CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

nLnvAToB.

Patented July 5, 1910.

Application filed December 2a, 1908. Serial No. 469,461.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. HU rHRnY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county. of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented a certain the danger of persons falling through open gateways in elevator shafts. This is accomplished by providing means by which the hoisting mechanism will become inoperative at such times as the gates are opened, the

opening of the gates being controlled by the operator on the car.

The novel featuresof my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred form of my invention, Figure 1 is a dia rammatic viewof the different cirpartly'in vertical section and partly broken v away, of myimproved elevator mechanism.

{F 1g; 3 is a view, enlarged, partly in Vertical section and partly inside elevation of one of the gate locking devices, the locking members being shown in the unlocked positions.

Fig. tis a horizontal sectional view on the dotted line a-b of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, excepting that the gate is shown locked to the locking members. Fig. 6 is a view ondotted line ccl of Fig. 3. Similar characters of reference denote similar parts.

1 denotes the elevator walls, 2, v3 and 1 the several floors of the building. 5 the gates, preferably of the horizontally slidable type,

i 6 the elevator car, 7 the wire cable supporting the car and mounted on a drum 8 sup,- port-ed on a horizontal shaft 9 to which is secured a worm wheel 10 meshing with a wcrm 11 provided on the armature shaft-'12 of an electric motor 13.

15 denotes a plurality of casings secured to the walls 1 at the different floors adjacent respectively to the gates 5. The casings 15 I for all.

contain the gate locking devices, and a description of one of said devices will answer In the casing 15 are pivoted respectively by means of horizontal pins 16 supported by OPPOSltGWELllS of the casing, two locking the bracket 18 therethrough.

*ig. 2 is a view partly in elevation,

respectively engaging opposite sides of and holding a T shaped bracket 18 secured tothe adjacent gate 5. The casing 15 is provided with a vertical slot 19 for re ing 7 Springs 20 secured to the inner wall; of the casing 15 normally force the members 17 into positions engaging the bracket 18'. Secured respectively to the members 17 are two armatures 21 disposed adjacent to opposite ends of an electromagnet 22 supported in the casing 15 intermediate the members 17 adjacent to their rear or inner ends. Intermediate 'the members 17. is a horizontal bar 23 slidably mounted in bearings 2d secured to the inner wall of casing 15. V A coil spring 25 mounted on tliebar 23 bears at one end against'the rear bearing 24 and at its other end upon a vertical bar 26. The tension of spring 25 is such as to force the bar' 23 to a position in which it will be struck and rearwardly forced by the bracket 18 when the gate is moved to the closed position shown in Fig. 5. The bar 26 is disposed on the bar 23 so that when the gate 5 is moved to the open position shown in Fig. 3, the bar 26 will strike and swing to the unlocked position the locking members 17. Secured respectively to the members 17 are two spring plates 27 respectively carrying two contacts 28 and 29 which are insulated from the plates 27 by blocks of insulation 30. When the members 17 are in the locked position shown in F ig. 5, the contacts 28 and "29 will be against one another, thus closing the circuit in which they are located. \Vhen the members 17 are swung to the open position shown in Fig. 3, the contacts 28 and 29,

will be separated from each other, thus breaking the circuit containing them.

' For controlling the swingin of members 17 to the unlocked position, i811 the gates 5 are in the closed position the following.

mechanism is provided: 30 denotes a lever pivoted on a, vertical axis to a suitable sup port 81 disposed adjacent to the drum 8.

,One end of the lever 30 is longitudinally slotted, and in the slotted end has mounted a longitudinally slidable bar 32 having mounted thereon a. roller 33 rovided with a .peripheral groove for receiving the cable 7.

A spring 33 serves to normally force out- .wardly the bar 32 so that the roller 33 is always engaged with the cable 7. As the to. .A conductor i'oconnected too 56 connected to two contacts 75 and 77' cable is wound and unwound relative to the drum 8, the lever vWill. he swung to and fro. Secured to the lever 30 is a hlock of insulation 3st to which is secured a contact plate adapted as the lever 30 is swung to consecutively strike the contacts 36, 37 and 38 connected respectively by conductors 39, 4.0 and 41 with one set of ends of the windings of magnets 22 contained respectively in casings 15. The other sets of ends of said windings are connected respectively by conductors 42, 4:3 and 44- with a conductor 45 which is connected to a lever 4:7 pivoted on the floor of the car 6 and carrying a con tact 48 adapted tostrike a contact i9 from which it is nor'inallyseparated by means of a spring 50 which is connected tolever 4-7 and to the car 6, so as to swing the lever to the positionshown in Fig. 1. A conductor 51 connects contact 49 with a battery 59 connectedby on lever 30.

Any suitable means may. be provided for connecting in circuit the contacts 28 and :29 and the motor 18. The following systcn'i is a preferred one. A lever 57 pivotally niountedonthe car (i adapted when swung to and frotostrike alternately contacts 58 and 59 which are adjacent thereto A. con

doctor connects the lever 57 with contact 128 of the lower set.

A conductor; 61 connects the contact 21) with the contact 28 oi the next'highei' set, and a conductor as connects conductor 29 of'the last nal'ned set with the contact 28 of the uppermost sets A conductor 63 connects the tippcrinost con-- tact .29 with a conductor 64 wh ch is con? nocted to one tbrnsh of a generator (55, the

other brush ofwvhich connected. by a conilnctorfiti with a conductor 67, the ends of.

which are respectively connected to one set of ends of the wincllngsvto clectroingignets 68 and (it), the other set of ends of which windings are connected respectively conclnctors T0 an'dil with the contacts and 58; A contact 72 is connected to conductor A contact 74 is connected to a eondoctor 73 which is, connected tocon nctor disposed res'pectiveiy: opposite to contacts wand 74. A bar 7 8 is pivoted between the magnets 68 and tithf'lwo coil springs 79 I disposed atcpyosite sides of the bar 78 serve to normal v hold it in a central posi- "tion,' shown-in Fig. 1. Carried by but insulated from the bar 78 is a contact 81 c0n-. nectcd by. a conductor 80 to one brushof the motor 13, the other en'dof inch is con nected by a conductor 82 with a contact 83 carried "by but insulated from the her 7'8.

' 'lwo'arinatnres 842 and (-35 carried by the hair 78 are dis osed respectively in the llltlg was; hit and hit Wire the fetid ma nets "are"alternately a conductor 53 with the contact 35' .lioois.

the contact 35 will rest on contact 37. The

ceases arinatnressi and 85 will be alternately attracted so as to first bring the contacts 81 and 83 into contact with contacts 7a and 76 ri'espectively. When armature 85 1s attractedthe contacts 81 and 83 are brought against contacts 77 and 72 respectively. Thus the direction of the current through motor 13 I may be changed by swinging bar T8, thereby changing the direction of movement of the- The operator on the car 0 controls the motor through the lever 57. By swinging icver 57 onto contact 59 the current from generator (55 will. pass by conductor 66and conductor 67 to magnet 68, thence as fol-' magnet 68 being energized, the armature 84: will beattractecl to swing blP'YB to a posh tion in which contacts 81. and 83 will strike contacts 7-1 and 7th The current will then pass from generator by conductors (id-and To to contacts ill-and 83,"thence by condnctor 82 to motor 13, thence by conductor conto generator on.

When the lever 57 1S swung against con tact 58, the circuit Will'be completed asfol- .tacts 81. and T4, and conductors i3 and'tiet l lows :-fro.n1 generator-65 by conductors (i6 and 67, magnet 69, conductor '4' 1", contact o8, lever 57 thence through conductor 60 by the path hereinbefore described back to generator 65." The magnet 69 being enrgized, the armature 85 will be attracted.

swinging lever or bar 78 to a position in which contacts 81 andBfi will strike contacts Z7. and "(2 respectively. :The current will then-pass by condnctors ho and 75 from,

gen'erator 65 to contacts W and 81 condom tor 80, inotor 13, oondn'otorfjfitit, contacts 83 and im-andcondoctor 6% ha to generator 653 its'the car diocesescowardly "coin floor it, the contact Se-Will sttikc contacts 3th 3*? and 3t} succes vely, thus completing the' oircolts ]by the magnets at the different Thus when the car' reaches floor 3 circuit will then hecoinpleted from battery 52, if the lever 47 is swnngso that contacts 48 and'49 are together, through conductor t 53, contacts and 37, conductor 40, middle magnet 22, conductor-s43 and to, lever 47, contacts 48. ended), and conductor 51 back to battery to. The energizing of magnet at floor 3 will cause the adjacent looking nien'ihcrsli' to swing to the uniooked'pos1-" tion Sl'lOVt'ii in 3, whereupon the adjacent gate it may he moved to the open posh tion. it the same time the adjacent con acts t l id 3* Will'he '1 rated, than t containing;

' ',el ectromagnet1c means for moving said lock said contacts and the motor 13. The motor will thus be inmaerative, so that the car can not be moved until the operator again closes the adjacent gate 5. lVhenthis has been done, the bar 23 which in the mean-- time has been in the position shown in Fig. 3, in which position thebar 26 will retain the members 17 in the open position, will be forced. rearwardly by the bracket 18 on the gate 5 to the position shown in Fig. 5, in which position the contacts 28 and 29, will again be in contact with each other, and the locking members 17 will engage and hold the bracket 18. The operator may now move the car upwardly or downwardly by operating the lever 57 as already described.

From the above description it will. be understood that when the car is'at a. floor opposite a gate 5, the operator may release the gate by depressing lever 47, after which the gate may be opened, but the operator can not; move his car from a floor while a gate is open. Accidents are thus prevented due to 0 en atewa s in the elevator shaft. P g gin I do not con e nay-invention to the specific construction shown and. described, as it is obvious that such construction may be varied in many" ways, within the scope of the appended claims, Without departing from the spirit ofmy invention.

Havin? thus described my invention, what It: aim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1 1. In elevators, the combination with an electric hoisting motor, of a circuit containin-g said motor, a gate, gate locking means, means for breaking said circuit when the locking means is in the unlocked position, and electromagnetic means for'mov; ing said locking means to the unlocked position to break said circuit independently of the position of the gate.

2. In jelevators, the combination With an electric hoisting motor, of a clrcu t containmg said motor, a gate, gate locking means,

ing means to the unlocked position, and means for breaking said circuit when the locking means in the unlocked position.

.3. Inelevators, the combination with an electric hoisting motor, of a circuit containmg said motor, agate, gate locking means,

electromagnetic means for moving said locking means-to the unlocked position, means for breaking said circuit when the locking means is in the unlocked position, means for moving said locking-means to the locked po sition to close said circuit, and means controlled by the gate for holding said locking means in. the unlocked position. i 44. In elevators, the combination with an ectric hoisting motor, of a circuit containin said motor, a gate, a locking member forho ding said; gate in the closedposition, means actuated by said member for controlling; said circuit, and electromagnetic means for moving said member to actuate said circuit controlling means.

5. In ele'vators,'the combination with an electric hoisting motor, of a circiut containlug said motor, a gate, gate locking means,- mea'ns for breaking said circuit when the locking means is in the unlocked position, means controlled by said gate for forcing; said locking means tothe unlocked position when the gate is in the open position, electromagnetic means for forcing said locking means to the open position independently of the position of said gate, and means for forcing said locking means to the locked position.

6. In QlCVt fore, the combination with an electric hoisting motor, of a circuit.containing said motor, a gate, a gatelocking member, for holding the gate 1n the closed position, means for breaking said. circuit when the said member is moved in one direction, electromagnetic meansfor moving, said 'member in said direction, and means for moving said member in a direction'to close said circuit.

7. In elevators, the combination with an electric hoisting motor,- of'a circuit containing said motor, a gate, a; 'gate locking memher, for holdingsa d gate in thelclos'edposition, means for breaking said circuit when said member is moved in one-direction, electromagnetic means for moving said member, in said direction, meahs for moving saidmember in the opposite=direction .to' close said circuit, and means controlledhy said, gate for'relea'sably holdin' said member in one of said two positions len the gate is in the open position. i I

8..I selevators, the combinationwith anelectric hoisting m0tor,-ot a circuit contain ing said motor, a ga-te,'a pivoted gate looking member, circuit controlling. meahsjctw ated by the swinging of-sitid pivoted 'm'eur ber, ele tromagnet-ic meugis fr-qrswing-m-g said n, "and rheens for ing said member-iii the opposite direction to close said circuit, and releasable means controlled by said gate for holding said member in the unlocked position when the gate is in the open position. I

10. In an elevator, the combination with a--hois ting motor, of an electriccircuit containing said motor, a, gate,-. gate locking means, electromagnetic means for moving said locking means to the unlocked position;

and means controlled by the position of said ated by said motor, a car, means carried by ried by the electromagnetic means for swinging said trolling .the swinging ofsaid pivoted memtrolied by the gate for holding said men here independently of the position of the gate, means for breaking said circult when the lccking means is in the unlocked. posltion,

gate for moving said locking means to the locked position to close said circuit. 7 11. In elevators, the combination with hoisting motor, of an electric circuit contain ing said motor, a gate, hoisting means opermember to the unlocked position, means for: swinging said member to the locked position, and means cont-r"lled by th'egate for conher. y

1'3. In elevators, the combination with a gate, of two pivoted members for'locking saidgate in the closed position, means for normally forcing said locking members to the closedor locked'p'osit-ion, an electric circuit, a hoisting motor in said circuit, means for "breaking said circuit when said members areswung to the unlocked position, electromagnetic means forswinging said members to the unlocked-position, and ,means can in the unlocked position when'th'e ga is in the open position. ,14. In elevators, the combination with a gate, of two pivoted members for locking the gate in the closed position, means for normally forcing said members to the loked osition, an electric circuit, means carried y said members for opening and closing said circuit when said members are swung to and from the locked position, means con trolled by the gate for holding said members in the unlocked position when the gate is,

open, hoisting means, a car operated thereby a motor in said circuit for operating sald hoistin means, means carried by the car for control ing said circuit, electromagnetic means for moving said pivoted members to the unlocked position, and means carried'by the car for controlling said electromagnetic means.

15. In elevators, the combiiiation with an electric hoisting motor located in an electric circuit, of a gate, gate locking means, a car, and means actuated when the car is in a predetermined position for automatically and simultaneously breaking the circuit and, operating the locking means to release the ate. i g 1.6. In elevators, the combination with an electric hoisting motor located in an electric circuit,'of a gate, gate locking means, a car, and means controllable by aperson on the car and actuated when the car is in a- 'prede-'.

termined'posi'tionfor automatically and simultaneously breaking the circuitand operating the locking means to release the gate.

17. In elevators, the combination with an electric hoisting motor located in an electric circuit, of a gate, a car, circuit controlling means in said circuit, ate locking means -for holding the gate closed, and means actu-' ated automatically when the car is in a predetermined position for simultaneously operating the circuit controlling means to stop gate locking means to rethe motor and the lease the gate. In testimony whereof'I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Kitnesses:

E.. B.,.Housn, lR, 13.. DoLsEN.

HENRY A; HIMPHREY. 

